Grandfather Shoots Father, Grandson Fatally Fires Back

A family disagreement turned deadly when a grandfather shot a father, and the father’s son is said to have fought back. A young boy grabbed a shotgun and threw himself into the mix of the family argument, and the grandfather died as a result. Lloyd Woodlief, 84, was shot once by his 11-year-old grandson using a 12-gauge shotgun.

CNN reports that Lloyd Woodlief shot his 49-year-old son, Lloyd Peyton Woodlief, with a 22-caliber pistol. The incident happened Monday night in Kittrell, North Carolina at a mobile home. Authorities were called to the home around 7 p.m. Monday night with reports that there had been a fight. When they arrived, they found that two people had been shot.

After the grandfather shot the father, the young boy allegedly fired back. The elder Woodlief was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have indicated that the 84-year-old did fire first, but few other details have been revealed. The cause of the argument that led to the shooting has not been revealed, and it is unclear at this point whose shotgun the boy used or how he got it.

According to the Henderson Dispatch, the young boy has been taken into the custody of juvenile services. Vance County Sheriff Peter White said, “A juvenile petition has been taken out against the 11-year-old” and charges are said to be pending.

Tuesday afternoon, the boy was shackled at his ankles and wrists and taken into the sheriff’s office by deputies. The boy’s father was taken for treatment for a gunshot wound to Duke University Hospital. The family has declined to comment to the media so far, saying that they are not yet ready to speak.

Stories of children shooting family members have become all too common these days, though this situation is clearly unusual. Oftentimes, the incidents are the result of unsecured weapons being found by children exploring or playing alone, and then shooting another child. In this case, obviously, the situation was different, and many will be curious to hear more about what led to the grandfather shooting the father and the boy retaliating.

Neighbors told TWC News that the North Carolina family involved in the shooting was nice and went to church regularly. The 11-year-old boy has not been named due to his age. It is also unclear who else may have been at the home when the fatal shooting took place Monday night. There is clearly a great deal more yet to be revealed as the investigation continues.

For now, we do know a tragic fatal encounter occurred in which the grandfather shot the father and the grandson fired back, killing the grandfather.